Podcast
Revisions, How Our Favorite Books Change Us
Hosted by Jen Nails · EN
Las Vegas-Clark County Librarian/author Jen Nails chats with authors, actors, comedians and librarians about why certain books from growing up made such a splash in their lives!
Look for Season Three, out in late November, 2025, featuring local Las Vegas students Dara and Lyra, author Ken Lamug (National Book Festival Selection), author Willy Vlautin (Nevada Writers Hall of Fame), journalist Jane Borden (Carnegie Medal longlist), author Yamile Saied Méndez (Pura Belpré Award Winner), librarian Desmond London (Whitney Library, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District), author/illustrator Daria Peoples (Golden Kite Award Winner), and comedian Kurt Braunohler (Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon).
Season Two launched May 15, 2025, and features actor Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere), author Kathy Erskine (National Book Award winner), memoirist Mark Ciccone (Obelisk Odyssey), book store owners Charlie and Rachelle Luster (Analog Dope book store), storyteller Dr. Micaela Blei (You Will Not Recognize Your Life) and Las Vegas library professionals Ms, China (the ultimate Community Auntie) and Billy Allen (Queer Eye).
Season One launched December 21, 2024 and features actors John Ross Bowie (Big Bang Theory), Negin Farsad (The Musl...
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Episodes
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"The Relaxation That You Look For," Braunohler reclines into the world of Vonnegut with Sirens of Titan (1959).
Nov 2700:46:55Tap to summarizeTonight Show with Jimmy Fallon writer Kurt Braunohler discovers all of Kurt Vonnegut Jr's novels in junior high and begins developing his bizarro, brilliant brand of bombedy.Book recommendations based on my conversation with Kurt!
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"Eventually We Will Open Them," under the gaze of her educator mom, Daria Peoples discovers Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston, 1937).
Nov 2701:02:06Tap to summarizeBeloved picture book author/illustrator & Golden Kite Award winner Daria Peoples begins to understand what it means to live for herself when she discovers Hurston's classic as a young adult.Book recommendations based on my conversation with Daria!
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"I've Always Been an Advocate," Desmond London raises his voice after re-reading Makes Me Wanna Holler (Nathan McCall, 1994).
Nov 2700:59:51Tap to summarizeNathan McCall's memoir reminds Jen and fellow librarian Desmond of the healing power of difficult conversations and then inspires one. Explicit content.Book recommendations inspired by my conversation with Desmond!
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"The Fool's Card," Yamile Saied Méndez's Heidi tattoo! (Johanna Spyri, 1881)
Nov 2700:57:45Tap to summarizePura Belpré winner & Reese's Book Club author Yamile shares what happened when her neighbor in Las Pampas began lending her classic literature beginning with Heidi, which was the first book she read all the way through. Book recommendations based on my conversation with Yamile!
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"What Else Don't I Know?" Jane Borden humbles herself after college with Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser, 2001).
Nov 2700:49:46Tap to summarizeCarnegie Medal longlister and esteemed culture writer Jane shares her discovery of Fast Food Nation and the calls t0 action that have inspired her since.Book recommendations based on my conversation with Jane!
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"A Safe Place to Hide Out," Willy Vlautin takes cover inside the pages of Cannery Row (John Steinbeck, 1945).
Nov 2700:41:59Tap to summarizeAward-winning author/musician & and Hall-0f-Famer Willy Vlautin describes how, since he was a teen, escaping into Cannery Row and spending time with Mack and the Boys has always brought him solace and comfort.Book recommendations based on my conversation with Willy!
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"Something Sings in that Silence," Ken Lamug colors in the framework for creating graphic novels with The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1943).
Nov 2700:44:20Tap to summarizeAuthor/illustrator extraordinaire & National Book Festival selection Ken Lamug shares stories about moving to the U.S. as a teen after a childhood in the Philippines, his father's recipe for success, and gifting his high school crush (and future wife!) a book that would shape his artistic style: The Little Prince.Book recommendations based on my conversation with Ken!
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"Two-headed Snakes and Legless Lizards," Lyra and Dara school Jen in reptilian anomalies (and other stuff!).
Nov 2700:29:40Tap to summarizeWithin their discussion of all-time faves Eva and the Lost Pony (Elliot, 2018) and Girls I've Been (Sharpe, 2021), Jen and two of her reading buddies ruminate on all the undiscovered gems awaiting them in books!Book recommendations based on my conversation with Lyra and Dara!
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"Pulling Down the Journals," Micaela Blei reaches for the past to decode the present with Arcadia (Tom Stoppard, 1993).
May 14, 202500:55:53Tap to summarizeMulti MOTH-grand-slam champ, author and storyteller, Dr. Micaela Blei (You Will Not Recognize Your Life, Audible, 2024, Secret Life of Your Third Grade Teacher, HarperOne, 2027), assembles bits and pieces of wisdom on writing, love, and life.Book recs based on our conversation!Micaela's siteYou Will Not Recognize Your Life on AudibleMy favorite Micaela MOTH story
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"I Wanted to Be a Cartoon Character," Billy Allen animates his journey from nursing major to library school, starting with Lean Mean Urkell Machine (Bonnie Worth, 1992).
May 14, 202500:57:47Tap to summarizeBranch Manager, Mr. Billy (Queer Eye, James Partridge Award winner) jumps into Steve Urkell's time machine as a 9-year-old and emerges 30 years later along with his team at the Whitney Library, as a rising library star.Book recs based on our conversation!Whitney LibraryDaily Beast covers Billy's Queer Eye episodeBilly's IG
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